Russ Uselton with his cattle at his farm in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Of all the tools used by a cattle farmer, a drone might seem surprising.
Yet for Russ Uselton, a cattle farmer from Shelbyville, Tennessee, his drone is essential in identifying fields with subtle color differences that tell him something needs to be looked at further in the soil.
“When you have thousands of acres, it’s hard to know which pasture you need to walk,” explains Uselton. “By providing an aerial view, the drone tells me the story of my land—and where attention is needed.” This technology, like many others used by farmers, is one of the advancements that helps them be the best stewards of their land.
Sometimes when he hears the word sustainability, Uselton has to smile, because, as he says, “We cattle farmers were all about sustainability before it became a well-known term.” Uselton, who owns and operates approximately 1,500 acres scattered across several farms in Shelbyville, explains that farmers really are the original environmentalists.
“Everything we do comes from the soil and the water,” says Uselton. “We have known for years that if we don’t nurture the land, it won’t produce for us. “All my management decisions revolve around sustainability, because I have to think about tomorrow. I’m investing for 10-20 years down the road.”
Having received an agriculture business degree from Middle Tennessee State University, Uselton says he learned the farming business from square zero, unlike many cattle farmers who have been farming for generations. He soon realized that cattle farming would require him to also be a scientist.
“People do not realize how much science goes into cattle farming,” Uselton explains. “We regularly conduct soil tests to analyze the nutrients available in the soil.”
One factor analyzed in the soil is an increase in carbon, which has been observed on cattle farms throughout the U.S. Like many farmers, Uselton works with a carbon credit company to sequester carbon into cash with carbon credits. These credits are based on the amount of carbon within the soil and incentivize farmers to use management practices that maximize carbon sequestration.
Successfully sequestering carbon involves farming practices such as rotational grazing that regenerate the land, plants and soil. According to Uselton, by rotating which pasture the cows are in, he allows the grass in the other pastures to rest and regrow. Water management is another essential way to protect the environment and sustain the farmland: To reduce soil erosion, Uselton has fenced off a creek running through his land so that cows can’t access the creek bed.
Like many farmers, Uselton feels the danger that urban sprawl poses to the environment.
“Every time you disturb the soil, you mess with the soil composition and impact all the good bacteria in the ground,” explains Uselton. “It is ironic that more people aren’t concerned about the large developments taking over farmland.”
Stephanie Barnett with her husband and daughter at their family cattle farm in Clarksville, Tennessee.
A Clarksville cattle farmer, Stephanie Barnett, agrees with the problems caused by urban sprawl. “You have to put back into the soil what you’re taking out of it,” explains Barnett. “We farmers have been doing that for years.” Like Uselton, Barnett feels she is part scientist. “It’s a game of soil samples and testing to see what’s needed in the land,” she says.
Farmers use cattle as a tool to meet the needs of their land. When cattle graze on land, their hooves provide a necessary disturbance to the soil that encourages plant regrowth, and their manure puts essential nutrients back into the land. This is part of a process that has taken place in the U.S. for many years with grazing animals like bison and cattle.
Environmentalism is not just about the soil, though. It’s about taking care of the cattle so that nutrient-dense beef is produced. Beef contains a unique combination of high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and B vitamins1-5. Not only do cattle provide services to the environment, but they also create an important food for a well-rounded diet,
For Barnett, farming is in the bloodline. She is the eighth or ninth generation of farmers. She and her husband grew up on farms in Montgomery and Robertson counties and now a new generation of children hope to continue the work. Barnett points out that sustainability often starts with jobs outside the farm.
“I doubt many people understand the complexity or size of a cattle farming operation,” says Barnett. We need agricultural accountants, feed salesmen, chemists, veterinarians. It really takes a village, and our employees become family, eating at our dinner table. “We invest in expensive equipment; we plant seed and birth calves and pray for rain. It’s a way of life we’re committing to, generation after generation.”
Uselton agrees that cattle farming is a lifestyle as well as a career. “My land and my cattle come first. The worst thing I can do is to make plans,” explains Uselton. “I don’t care what else is going on; the cattle come first. That’s why I’ve missed games, parties and holidays over the years. I am so lucky that my wife understands and is with me on this journey.”
The 24/7 nature of cattle farming is the reason Barnett’s vacations are usually spontaneous.
“It’s not an easy job,” Barnett admits. “But we farmers are committed to sustaining the land that sustains us—to making sure that this land will keep regenerating and nurturing us for generations to come. It’s a privilege to be the earth’s caretakers.”
Indeed, the original environmentalists.
Sources:
- Agarwal, S., Fulgoni, V.L., 3rd. Contribution of beef to key nutrient intakes in American adults: an updated analysis with NHANES 2011-2018. Nutr Res 2022; 105: 105-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2022.06.009.
- Cashman, K.D., Hayes, A. Red meat's role in addressing 'nutrients of public health concern'. Meat Sci 2017; 132: 196-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.04.011.
- Phillips, S.M., Fulgoni, VL 3rd, Heaney, R.P., Nicklas, T.A., Slavin, J.L., Weaver, C.M. Commonly consumed protein foods contribute to nutrient intake, diet quality, and nutrient adequacy. Am J Clin Nutr 2015; 101(6): 1346S-1352S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084079.
- Snetselaar, L., Stumbo, P., Chenard, C., Ahrens, L., Smith, K., Zimmerman, B. Adolescents eating diets rich in either lean beef or lean poultry and fish reduced fat and saturated fat intake and those eating beef maintained serum ferritin status. J Am Diet Assoc 2004; 104(3): 424-428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2003.12.016.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central, 2019b. Available at fdc.nal.usda.gov (Beef composite, cooked – NDB Number 13364).